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Quality & nutrition

Jannie and Martin Cloete’s soya bean processing facility on their farm in Oja! Farms processes soya bean products for human consumption. Their
Mpumalanga. revolutionary approach to soya bean processing is a first in South Africa.

Humans cannot eat soya beans in Diversifying the product range Oja! Farms’ products, Jannie says they do a
its raw form as it contains protease Soya beans in South Africa are mostly lot of demonstrations on how to prepare
compounds that inhibit protein processed for animal feed and oil, seeing their roasted soya beans while giving
digestibility. However, thermal processing as it is more profitable. However, a small onlookers an opportunity to taste the
destroys these protease compounds, percentage of soya beans are also used finished product. They are also involved
making soya beans safe to consume. for human consumption. Traditional soya in several feeding schemes and have
While other processing units may opt products on the market, such as soya recently joined forces with the non-profit
to heat soya beans using a regular mince, have a characteristic flavour that organisation, Solidariteit Helpende Hand.
oven, Jannie finds that this method consumers have become well acquainted Jannie explains that 100g dry, roasted
burns the outside of the beans before with. These products are normally beans can deliver 500ml soup, which
the inside has even started to cook. produced by using the dry by-products equals two cups containing 18% protein
To prevent this from happening, of the soya bean after the oil has been – this adds up to just over R1 per cup
they roast their beans in a specially extracted. By using the whole bean, the without adding extras such as onions
designed oven that utilises microwave taste of their soya products differs vastly and vegetables. When compared to
technology to heat the beans to from that of traditional soya products. the protein content and price of other
approximately 150°C. “This oven allows “The soya nuts are packaged in small meat products available, you will not
the soya beans to be cooked from the packets to be consumed as an on-the- find a cheaper source of protein.
inside out. The roasted beans therefore go snack and comes in an assortment of “This is a source of protein we
have the same outward appearance as flavours. The dry, roasted soya beans can should utilise to not only benefit farmers,
raw beans. This unique process results be used in stews and soups or can even be but also for the sake of food security.
in a dry bean with a nutty taste.” milled and used in smoothies, gravies or Where farmers are usually paid around
The plants are normally harvested in your morning cereal,” Jannie explains. R6 000/ton for soya beans, they could
when their moisture content is 13%. They have kept the modern theoretically earn R12 000/ton by cutting
However, the moisture level of the beans consumer’s needs in mind when it comes out the middleman.
will drop slightly while being stored, to taste, convenience and nutrition by “I think that to remain profitable, future
which then influences the amount of time introducing snack bars, and also offer farmers will have to start processing their
the beans need to be roasted to achieve boxed meal-kits, which allow for the own crops or settle for farming a lot more
moisture levels fit for packaging. The integration of their dry, roasted soya hectares per year. However, by processing
roasting process usually takes an hour. beans into traditional South African their own crops, they will have the
Along with roasting soya beans, dishes such as bobotie and biryani. opportunity to buy other farmers’ produce
they also make soya nuts at their and continue making their own products
processing plant by soaking the beans Spreading the word if their own harvest underperforms due
in water after it has been sifted and Seeing as soya beans have not really been to drought or pests,” he concludes.
then roasting it until the taste and utilised in this manner on a commercial
texture resembles that of a peanut. scale in South Africa before, customers For more information, phone
They outsource most of the packaging, are hesitant to try something new. In a Jannie Cloete on 079 142 9198
design and seasoning of their products. bid to advertise and introduce people to or visit www.ojafarms.co.za.

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